One of the Best White Wines for 2026 Comes from Maryland

What is one of the best white wines to buy in 2026?

According to VinePair, Old Westminster Winery Terracotta 2023 belongs on that list.

VinePair included Old Westminster Winery Terracotta 2023 in its annual guide to The 30 Best White Wines for 2026, giving the wine a 95 point rating and naming it one of the standout white wines to drink this year. The wine was featured in the “Best White Wines Under $50” category with an average price of $36.

For us, the most meaningful part of the recognition is larger than one bottle. VinePair wrote that “The Old Line State has entered the national wine conversation,” and pointed to Old Westminster as an example of Maryland winemaking rooted in humility, skill, farming, and listening to the land.

That’s the story we’ve been working toward for more than a decade.

Old Westminster Winery Terracotta 2023

Old Westminster Winery Terracotta 2023 is a skin contact white wine made from Pinot Blanc and Muscat. It’s textured, savory, aromatic, and deeply food friendly.

VinePair described the wine as “spectacular” and noted that it would pair with just about any meal on the table. Their review highlighted layers of grapefruit, fennel, honey, and ginger, with a textured and grippy mouthfeel.

That’s exactly what we love about this style of wine. Terracotta has the freshness of white wine, the texture of skin contact fermentation, and the versatility to move across a full meal.

It’s bright enough for seafood and salads. It’s savory enough for roasted vegetables, cheese, wood fired pizza, poultry, pork, and spice driven dishes. It has lift, grip, and a little wildness in the best way.

What Is Skin Contact White Wine?

Skin contact white wine is made by fermenting white grapes on their skins for a period of time. Most white wines are pressed off their skins quickly, creating a cleaner, lighter style. With skin contact, the wine picks up more texture, aroma, color, and grip.

That can make the wine more expressive and more food friendly.

Terracotta is a skin contact blend of Pinot Blanc and Muscat, two varieties that bring different strengths to the glass. Pinot Blanc gives structure, freshness, and quiet depth. Muscat brings aromatics, spice, and floral energy. Together, they create a wine that feels layered without feeling heavy.

For anyone searching for one of the best skin contact white wines for 2026, Terracotta is a Maryland grown bottle worth knowing.

Why This Recognition Matters for Maryland Wine

Maryland wine is having a moment, and Old Westminster is proud to be part of it.

For years, serious American wine conversations centered almost entirely on California, Oregon, Washington, New York, and Virginia. Those regions deserve their respect. They’ve built extraordinary wine cultures.

Now Maryland is earning its place in the conversation.

Old Westminster has been named a VinePair American Winery of the Year finalist. Our Rosé 2025 was named VinePair’s number one rosé for 2026. Cosmopolitan ranked Old Westminster the number 9 winery in America. Wine Enthusiast has recognized our family and our wines. Eater DC has called Old Westminster one of the best wine trips near DC.

Terracotta’s place on VinePair’s list of the best white wines for 2026 is another signal that Maryland wine is no longer just a local story. It’s becoming part of the national wine conversation.

A Maryland White Wine Built for the Table

The best white wines in 2026 are not limited to one style. Great white wine can be crisp and mineral, rich and textured, aromatic and floral, or savory and complex.

Terracotta sits in that beautiful middle place. It’s a white wine with texture. A skin contact wine with freshness. A serious bottle that still wants to be shared with food.

That’s important because Old Westminster wines are built for the table. We think wine should make food better. It should bring people together. It should feel alive in the glass and generous at the table.

Terracotta does that.

Open it with wood fired vegetables, roast chicken, grilled fish, spicy noodles, spring salads, soft cheese, charcuterie, sourdough pizza, or a long dinner with friends. It’s the kind of bottle that can carry the whole meal.

What Does Old Westminster Terracotta Taste Like?

Old Westminster Winery Terracotta 2023 is savory, textured, aromatic, and food friendly.

Expect notes of:

Grapefruit. Fennel. Honey. Ginger. Citrus peel. Herbs. Floral aromatics. A textured, grippy finish.

It’s not a simple white wine. It’s layered and expressive, with enough freshness to stay bright and enough texture to feel substantial.

Where Can I Buy Old Westminster Terracotta?

Old Westminster Winery Terracotta 2023 is available directly from Old Westminster Winery while supplies last.

The best ways to find it are:

Visit Old Westminster Winery in Westminster, Maryland

Shop online through Old Westminster Winery

Join the wine club for priority access to limited releases

Look for select placements at independent wine shops and restaurants

Because this wine was named one of VinePair’s best white wines for 2026, availability may be limited.

The Best White Wines for 2026 Include Maryland

So, what are the best white wines to buy in 2026?

VinePair’s list includes wines from around the world, including classic regions and emerging voices. Old Westminster Winery Terracotta 2023 earning a place on that list, with a 95 point rating, is a powerful reminder that great white wine can come from Maryland.

For us, that’s the point.

Maryland wine belongs.

It belongs at the table. It belongs in serious wine conversations. It belongs beside great food. It belongs in the glass of anyone curious about where American wine is headed next.

Old Westminster Winery Terracotta 2023 is one of the best white wines for 2026.

And it comes from Maryland.

Plan Your Visit

Old Westminster Winery is located in Westminster, Maryland, on our family farm in Carroll County. Join us for Maryland grown wine, wood fired food, vineyard views, private cabanas, and a farm experience rooted in hospitality, agriculture, and serious winemaking.

Come taste why Maryland wine has entered the national conversation.